Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries said it appears efforts to boost security in Liquor Marts are having an impact.
Thefts have gone down 23 per cent since a March announcement security was being beefed up with measures like bottle locks, dummy bottles and increased use of special police constables in stores.
The strategy came after thefts spiked in 2018, going up nearly 300 per cent over the previous year.
“While these are still early results, we are cautiously optimistic they are trending in the right direction,” said Peter Hak, president of Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries, in a news release that stated arrests have also dropped 20 per cent.
The impact was even more noticeable when measuring shrinkage, which is the cost to Liquor Marts due to bottle theft. It’s gone down 55 per cent since March.
“While we are pleased to see improvements in shrinkage, our number one priority is the safety of our employees and our customers,” said Hak, adding they are working with police to target thieves.
Hak said some measures from the new anti-theft strategy have yet to be put in place and the Crown will monitor and measure what works.
He said customers can expect to see more changes in stores soon.
